Illuminated house number



Feb. 21, i933. il R. E. NULSEN ILLUMINATED HOUSE NUMBER Filedil 23, 1932Q Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNirED. STATES RICHARD l"nianLsErT, or SEATTLE,WAsHrNGToN VILLUMIVNA'rrm HOUSE NUMBER My invention relates toimprovements in illuminated house numbers and thegeneral objects ofmyinvention are to provide an illuminated house number of very simple 5and etlicient construction which is ineXpensive to manufacture, easy toinstall, neat and ornamental in appearance and which may easily be readat a substantial distance, as by persons in the street or across the '10street from the house on which the number is installed. i

Other objects of the invention are to pro vide an illuminated housenumber comprising a housing of greater length than width "15 and ofrelatively shallow depth, said housing having an interior of lightdiffusing material and having an electric lamp .bulb mounted therein andfurther `having a light distributing member of reflecting material '20positioned directly back ofthe lamp bulb for distributing the lightevenly throughout the housing. i u

A further object of my invention is to provide an illuminated housenumber in 25 which the light is utilized to the best possible extentthus allowing a very small lamp 'to be used.V This keeps the electriccurrent consumption very low and makes it possible to allow the lamp toburn continuously at a very small cost.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connectionwithV the accompanying drawing. K

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an illuminatedV housenumber constructed 'in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar front elevation with the front wall of the housingremoved.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section substantially on broken line 3 3 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross'section substantially on broken lined-4i of Fig. 2Q pA Y Fig. 5 is a detached'yperspective view of a light distributor of'reflecting material `which is embodied in the invention. 1

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

o Referringto the drawing I show a rec- 2 tangular housing composed Aoftwo oppoi Application led April' 23,

1932. 'Serial No. 607,097.

sitely disposed side walls 6 and 7 two end Walls 8, a rear wall 9l ofthin metal and a front Wall V10 in the nature of a removable platehaving light conductive numerals therein. The front wall 10 ispreferably of 55 glass and the light conductive numerals, indicated at1l in Fig. 1, are preferably each provided on separate pieces of paper12 or like material which pieces 12A are opaque except for saidnumerals. A plurality of the 6o `pieces .12 each having one numberthereon are adhesively secured to the glass plate 10 to make upanygdesired, house number. For instance in the device illustrated in thedrawing four pieces 12V have been secured `e5 to the rear side of theglass plate 10to make up the number 1919. These numbers are .easily seenin daylight irrespective of whether or not the number is illuminated.

The sides and ends of the housing are 470 preferably formed of wood,andare relavtively thick and these `walls afford at their front arelatively Wide shoulder 13 having an overhanging portion 14alongbothsides and both ends, which parts13 and 14 co 75 operate to form a groove15 for the reception ofthe front plate 10. This groove 15 Vis cutthrough the wall at one end, as shown at 16 in Fig. 3, so that thefrontplate 10 may be inserted andremoved from the end. 80

. The rear wall 9 is preferably of thin sheet metal countersunk into thewooden side walls,-as shown, it being desirable .to make the housing ofshallow depth andas nearly moisture` proof as possible Holes 17 are 85provided inthe rear wall 9 through which fastening means `may beinserted toV secur the housing to a support. Y

An internally screw threaded metallic receptacle 18 is provided in oneside wall of `90 the housing, which may be either the upper or-the lowerside wall, it being understood that the housing is reversible. A 'lampbulb 19 isprovided' with a shank QOwhich -is threaded into thereceptacle 18. A screw '95 21 positioned centrallyof the receptacle 18and electrically insulated therefrom forms one binding post' and anotherbinding postis formed by a screw 22 which is electrically connectedAwith the receptacle 18 by a wire 10Q 23. The lamp bulb 19 has acombined shield and reflector 24 of substantially semispheiical shapeprovided thereon on the front side next to the front plate 10 and alight distributor of reflecting material is provided directly to therear of the lamp bulb 19. This light distributor is preferably formed ofa single piece of metal bent into inverted trough like shape to affordtwo relatively inclined light deflecting surfaces 25 and 26 extendinginopposite directions from an apex 27, said deflector being of substantialwidth at one end and tapering almost to a point at the other end.Flanges 28 on the wider end of the deflector afford means for securingthe deflector to the housing wall. The housing is relatively shallow andthe depth of the deflector at its widest end is not great. The lamp bulbis positioned directly over the apex of the deflectoi` and near one side6 of the housing. The housing is only deep enough to afford clearancefor the lamp bulb 19 and deflector and consequently will not protrudefar enough outwardly from a wall to be in the way. The incline of thedeflector from the wider toward the narrower' end tends to deflect thelight toward the side 7 of the housing opposite from the side 6 nearwhich the lamp is positioned thus compensating for the placing of thelamp off center as respects the two sides 6 and 7 of the housing. Thetaper or narrowing of the defiector toward the end remote from the lamp19 provides for sufficient illumination of the areas of the plate 10above the deflector, it being obvious that a wide deflector extendingentirely across the housing and deflecting substantially all of the raysfrom this location sidewise would leave the area directly above thedeflector under illuminated. The relative incline of the two sides 25and 26 of the deflector cause the light to be deflected toward the twoends of the housing. This produces an even distribution of the lightthroughout the interior of the housing and insures equal illumination ofall of the numbers. The interior walls of the housing are preferably oflight diffusing material so that the light will be evenly diffused butwill not be absorbed. I find thatan efiicient light diffusing wall isproduced by painting the same with aluminum paint. The lamp bulb 19 isof a type capable of operating on a low voltage and is only strongenough to fill the housing with light. I prefer to use a lamp bulb whichwill operate on a door bell transformer circuit in which the current mayvary between six and twelve volts. This affords a lamp operating at avery low cost and which may remain lighted continuously if desired.Continuous illumination of the house number precludes the possibility ofit being dark when it is needed and makes it easily visible from thestreet at all times and tends to prevent iiiidesirable persons fromapproaching the house.

The light transmitting numerals are very inexpensively made by printingthe saine on paper, the numeral being left white and capable oftransmitting light and the area around the numeral being rendered opaqueand nonliglit transmitting by printing the same solid black. Thisprinting process also affords an opportunity for making distinctive andartistic numerals very inexpensively. If the numerals are printed onordinary white paper it obviates the necessity for using a ground glassfrontplate, which would ordinarily be used if the numerals were cut out.The method of applying the numeral slips to the plate `10 makes itpossible to quickly and easily set up any desired house number at thetime of installation of the apparatus by selecting the individualnumerals desired and cementing them in proper position on the plate 10,slips bearing the numerals from 0 to 9 inclusive being all that areneeded. Should the numeral slips 12 become loosened from the glass plate10 after installation they will be held in their proper position bycooperation Qf the plate 1() and the relatively wide shoulders 18against which the slips rest. The relatively thick side walls afford therelatively wide shoulders 13 and further foi-in a housing interior whichis only slightly largerlthan the field of the house number. Thisutilizes the light very efficiently and at the same time insures anample margin around the house number to produce a pleasing and artisticappearance.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly disclose apreferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood thatthis disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in theinvention may be made as are fairly within the scope and .spirit of thefollowing claims.

I claim 1. In an illuminated house number, a housing having an interiorof light diffusing material, an electric lamp disposed within saidhousing, circuit means connected with said lamp, a light distributor ofreflecting material positioned directly behind said lamp, a reflectorand shield provided on the front side of said lamp opposite saiddeflector, and a housing front disposed in close proximity to said lampand provided with light conductive numerals.

2. In an illuminated house number, a relatively shallow housing ofgreater length than width having a light diffusing interior, anyelectric lamp within said housing positioned near one side of thehousing and substantially mid way between the two ends thereof, a lightdistributor of reflecting inaterial and of inverted trough like crosssectional shape -positioned with its apex substantially vertical anddirectly back of said lamp, said distributor tapering toward the endremote from said lamp whereby it Will distribute the light from saidlamp substantially evenly throughout said housing, a reflector shieldover the front side of said lamp, and a housing front disposed in closeproximity to said lamp and provided with light conductive numerals.

The foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Wash., this 14th day ofApril, 1932.

RICHARD E. NULSEN.

